Electrochemical modules or devices such as batteries, capacitors and the like are well known in the art. Conventionally, such electrochemical modules are housed in an enclosure. Such enclosures commonly function to substantially isolate the electrochemical module from a surrounding environment, both to maintain the integrity of the electrochemical module and to prevent the materials of the electrochemical module from interacting with environmental materials.
One type of electrochemical module contained within an enclosure is a so-called button cell battery. Button cell batteries conventionally incorporate metallic housing portions which contact the battery contained within. As a result of the contact, each housing portion functions as an electrical contact for the battery, with one housing portion functioning as an anode contact and the other housing portion a cathode contact. A user of the button cell battery may insert the battery into a circuit such that positive and negative terminals of the circuit contact the appropriate housing portion. Consequently, utilizing a metal housing provides both protection against environmental conditions and convenient electrical contacts.
Button cell batteries, and other batteries constructed along similar lines, may further take advantage of the metallic housing to create relatively tight friction contacts between the housing portions. The housing portions may be positioned with respect to one another and then struck to create a friction fit between the two housing portions. Such friction fits have traditionally provided effective sealing against environmental interaction. Because of the general effectiveness of such metallic housings, button cell batteries and devices with similar enclosures have relied upon the friction fit between the two housing portions without the need to look to reinforcement.
But button cell batteries and similar batteries have certain limitations. In particular, because the process of striking the housing portions together relies on radial force between the inner and outer housing portions, button cell batteries are, by definition, usually circular so as to provide radial force for the friction fit. Consequently, button cell batteries may not be easily shape-adaptable to non-circular configurations. As a result, button cell batteries and the like may create inefficiencies when utilized in applications where space is at a relative premium; in circumstances like implantable medical devices and consumer electronics where the desire and long-term trend has been to make the devices as small as possible, button cell batteries and the like may be less efficient or less practical.